Health Articles

The Sandwich Generation

A new generation of people has emerged that is vital to the way families function and thrive. They aren't Generation X, Y, Z or Millennials. This is the Sandwich Generation. It is the moms and dads sandwiched between raising their own children and taking care of their parents at the same time. With extended life spans becoming the norm, and many elderly people are not adequately prepared for their extended lives, the burden of taking care of both older and younger generations is left to the person that is caught in the middle.

The fastest growing segment of our population, according to the US Census Bureau, is the Centenarian (100 year olds). It is estimated that between now and the year 2040, the Centenarian population will grow by 746% while the remaining population will grow by 35%. That is a lot of elderly people! Someone has to take care of them. They are our treasured elders, veterans, academia and workforce who were blindsided by their extended life and deteriorated into old age. The Sandwich Generation has been called to the task.

On the other side of the responsibility coin are the Sandwich Generation's children. Fifty percent of the children born after 2000 are predicted to live 100 years while the other 50% are predicted to live shorter lives than their parents. Which side of this 50/50 split that the children end up on, and the quality of life that they live, will be determined in large part by the way the Sandwich Mom or Dad cares for the kids and through the health values they themselves adopt and teach their family.

So, who is going to take care of Sandwich Mom or Dad as they care for multiple generations? We all know the answer: they must take care of themselves. Knowing that they are vital to the raising of their children and caretaking of their aging parents, Mom and Dad need to make sure that they are well inside and out. How is it possible for them to do this?

Certainly healthy lifestyle choices such as a positive attitude, healthy eating and regular exercise must become a top priority. It also means Sandwich Moms and Dads must do everything they can to assure that their body's main communication system, the nervous system, is functioning at its highest potential.

A chiropractic checkup will evaluate the nervous system for interference and will locate vertebral subluxations. It's non-invasive and the exam does not take long to perform. These regular checkups are vital to health care because subluxations can affect someone immediately. Digestion, sleep, hormone balance, emotions, memory and energy levels are going to be an issue if the nervous system is compromised. Subluxations can also seriously affect organ and brain function in life altering ways that could take decades to present then wreak havoc suddenly. Nerve pressure can exist without pain. Why wait for a crisis?

Getting checked regularly by a chiropractor and following their recommendation can assure that the nerve system is healthier. When all systems of the body are communicating clearly, optimal health can be achieved and the Sandwich Mom or Dad is better prepared to adapt to the challenges of being stuck in the middle. Taking care of others is a tremendous responsibility for the Sandwich Mom and Dad. While they are caught in the middle, they are the leader of the family's health care. To make the Sandwich Generation's job easier, the entire family (children, spouse and parents) should be checked regularly for vertebral subluxations.

Are you a Sandwich Mom or Dad or about to become one? Do you know one? Take care of yourself and schedule your appointment to get checked. You know more than anyone that you cannot afford to get sick.

Copyright 2017. The Family Practice, Inc., Dr. Eric Plasker and The 100 Year Lifestyle. All Rights Reserved.

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